Tag: myfitnesspal

“There’s an app for that”was the first thing my friend said after I told him I wished I could track my daily movements and meals better. After our workout, he encouraged me to download MyFitnessPal. I was determined to start logging my meals, tracking workouts, and setting weight goals.

This was last year, February 2017.

It didn’t take long for me to get bored of my new shiny new toy. The “hassle” of having to keep up with the app and remembering to count calories became laborious and I grew more and more disinterested in it. A week later, I deleted it without really giving the app a fair chance.

Fast forward to November 2017

I’ve been back on it for over a month now and I think I’ve figured out how to stay on it and be consistent. If you’re looking for a way to stick with your 2018 health and wellness resolutions, consider MyFitnessPal. Here are some tips and things to think about to get you started:

Be intentional: Are you serious about your goals? I knew exactly what I wanted and needed from the app last year but because I wasn’t serious about my goals it resulted in me losing interest quickly. MyFitnessPal is a great accountability partner but no one and nothing can keep you accountable if you don’t want it 1000% – full stop.

Make friends: I know this sounds silly, but consider making friends on this app if you plan on sticking with it long term. The first thing I did after re-downloading in November was going straight to the community board to find like minded people. I now have friends to share workout ideas and questions with. I cheer people on and the love is reciprocated on days that I need it most. MFP fitfam will keep you going when you want to give up.

Plan when to log and stick to it: DO. NOT. BE. THAT. ANNOYING. PERSON. LOGGING. FOOD. AT. THE DINNER. TABLE. Repeat that like 2 or 3 more times until you get me. When I first started logging my food again, I didn’t have a process so I’d log when the meal was in front of me. This may not work for everyone but I try and map out my meals at the beginning of the day and make adjustments in my free time or after the day is over. Whether you plan and log it in the AM,PM, or sporadically, just don’t do it in front of your friends or family… they tend to get annoyed (which is totally fair).

Don’t skimp on the calories: I always thought that counting calories was stupid until I realized that it truly works for my weight loss plan. The food library in MFP is pretty robust but the calorie count can be all over the place depending on how the food is prepared. Make sure you give details of the food, size, and how it’s cooked. This will help with a more accurate output of what the calorie amount should be.

Join Challenges and Win: If creating better lifestyle habits is not enough of an incentive to stick with this, there are challenges that anyone on MFP can join to win cool prizes. Currently, I’m enrolled in the Special K #FuelYourResolution and the White Claw Pure Start challenges. Each challenge tracks your progress by number of times you track workouts and foods logged and selects a winner at the end. It’s a cool way to compete with others and stay on track.

Have fun!: This stuff is hard. If it were easy everyone would be doing it. Don’t be so hard on yourself if you go over the calorie limit for the day, didn’t hit your step goal, or missed the gym. Go at your own pace and have fun doing it! The results will come. Here’s mine…

If you’re considering joining, my username is keepnguyening. Add me! Looking forward to seeing you on there 🙂